Saw-mill set-works



3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

W W if @l iIHIIHIII Hum rml [En Patented June 29, 1886.

C. ESPLIN.

SAW MILL SET WORKS.

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3 sheets-smet 2.

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C. ESPLIN.

SAW MILL SET WORKS.

No. 344.366. Patented Jun`e 29, 1886.

Ww assis 3 Sheets-Sheet 3,

(No Model.)

0. BSPLIN.

SAW MILL SET WORKS.

N. PETERS. Phammmoguphnr, washington, n.5.

UNITED STATES PATENT EETCE.

CHARLES ESPLIN, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

SAW-MILL SET-WORKS.

SPECIFICATION forming partof Letters Patent No. 344,366, dated June 29,1886.

Application filed October 19, 1885. Serial No. 180,215.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES EsrLiN, asubject of the Queen of Great Britain and lre land, who have declared my intention of becoming a citizen of the United States, residing at Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Saw-Mill Set- Vorks, of which the following is a specifica` tion.

This invention relates to circular-saw mills; and it consists in the construction, combina` tion, and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter shown and described, and then sought to be specifically defined by the claims.

Figure 1 is a plan view, and Fig. 2 is a rear. view, of a portion of the carriage of a sawmill, showing my improved set -Works arranged thereon. Figs. 3 and 4 are detached details, in perspective, of the compound lever by which the brake, the receding, and the pawl-lifting mechanisms are operated. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the lever guide and stop detached. Figs. 6, 7, and 8 are enlarged details of the stoplever-adjusting mechanism. Fig. 9 is an end view, and Fig. 10 is a side view enlargement, of the stop-lever adjust ing shaft detached. Fig. 11 is a cross-section on the line x x of Fig. 10. Fig. 12 is a crosssectional view on the line gy of Fig'. 1, and Fig. 13 a cross-sectional viewon the line z z of Fig. 1. Fig. 14 is a side view of the ratchet-disks and their operati ng-pawls and frames detach ed. Fig. 15 is a front View of the parts shown in Fig. 14. Fig. 16 represents in perspectivel one of the double pawls enlarged and detached. Fig. 17 is an enlarged sectional detail of one of the pawls and a portion of one of the ratchetdisks, illustrating more fully the operation of the pawls.

A A2 represent the stringers on which the rails a a", which support the carriage, are set.

B B2 represent the main side stringers, and B3 the cross-timbers of the carriage, which are adapted to run upon the rails a a2 by the usual bearingwheels, C C2, journaled across beneath the carriage. The rail a is V-shaped on its upper surface, and the wheels C have correspondingly-V-shaped grooves in their rims to fit over this rail, so that. the carriage will not run off from the track.

D represents the set-shaft, which oper- -municated to the shaft D.

(No model.)

ates the knees of the head-blocks, and is mounted upon the carriage by bearings D2, and running through the bases E of the head-blocks,

which are secured across the carriage at suitable intervals. Only one of these head-block bases E and its sliding knee Ei are shownin the drawings; but, of course, it will be understood that any number may be used. Vithin each of the head-block bases the shaft D is provided with a gear, D, adapted to engage with a rack upon the lower side ofthe knee El, each of the latter adapted to slide in its respective base in the ordinaryl manner, so that the revolution of the shaft D will move the knees backward and forward in the bases to set77 the knees with relation to the bases and the saw. s T

F is a short shaft at right angles to the main shaft D, and with its inner end iournaled in a collar, F2, encircling the shaft D', and provided on its inner end, next to the collar F2, with a bevel-pinion, F3, adapted to engage with a bevel-gear, F, on the shaft D, so that the revolution of the shaft F may be com- Thc outer end of this short shaft F is provided vwith a frictionwheel, F", having its edge V-shaped and adapted to engage with the correspondingly-Vshaped groove in the rim of one of the wheels C', which support the carriage. Just in the rear of friction-wheel F5 thcshaft F is journaled in or attached to a lever, F, one end of this lever being pivoted in a standard, F7, while the other end is free to be moved upward and downward. `By this means the movement of the lever F downward will throw the the friction-wheel F5 into contact with the wheel C', so that the motion of the wheel C may be communicated to shafts F D', and connected with or disconnected therefrom at pleasure, to recede the head-blocks', as hereinafter shown.

The bearing by which the lever FG is connected to the standard FT is set eecentrically to the lever, as shown at FS in Figs. 1 and 2, so that by revolving the eccentric the lever and its attached friction-wheel F5 may be adj usted to the grooved wheel O, to regulate the tension and take up the wear of the wheels.

G is a flat-rimmed wheel encircled by a band, G2, said band being pivoted by one end, b', to the-Stringer B of the carriage, while the IOO other end of the band is pivoted to a foot, d',

projecting from a lever, H', thelatter being pivoted by its lower end in a standard, H, on the stringer B'. By this means the forcing of the lever H' inward toward the wheel G' will cause the foot d to draw the band G2 around the wheel G', and thus compress it by the band, and form a brake tothe set-shaft D. This lever H' is made in two parts, the lower part, H', being pivoted in the standard H2, and having the foot d' attached to it at one side, while the upper part, H2, is pivoted at d2 in the lower part, H', and at right angles thereto. By this arrangement the upper part, H2, of the lever may be bent over at an angle to the lower part, H',or in a direction parallel with the length of the carriage, without affecting the lower part, H'; but when bent in a direction at right angles to the carriage it will carry the lower part, H', with it, as hereinafter more fully set forth.

Projecting from the face of the lower section, H', of the lever, opposite the foot d', is a lug or stop, d, which projects across the free end the lever Ff', so.that if the lever H' H2 is pulled outward it will compress thc lever F6 by the compression of the lug d thereon. This out ward movement of the lever H H2 also, of course, raises the foot d on the opposite side of the lever, and loosens the band G2 around the wheel G'; but this does no harm, and pro duces no effect. Then, if the lever H H2 be pushed inward, the brake-band G2 is set around the wheel G', as before described, this action ot' course raising the lng d2 upward, away from the lever F", but without producing any effect thereon.v Thus, by pushing the lever H' H2 inward, the brake is set, and by pulling it out` ward the friction-wheel F5 is thrown into gearI with o'ne of the wheels C' of the carriage, the leverrbeing inoperative with relation to the brake while lit is operative with relation to the friction-wheel, and vice versa.

Fixedby keys or other means to the shaft D', a short distance apart, are two large ratchet wheels or disks, K' K2, and between 4 these twodisks are mounted loosely upon the shaft two beveled` geared segments, L' L2, with their teeth projecting inward, and both adapted to engage with one common bevelpinion L3, the latter mounted upon a short shaft, L2, in a suitable bearing, L, at right in one piece with the geared segments are pivoted dogs or pawls N anglesto the shaft D', said bearing being attached to the top of the carriage, asshown. On the outer end of this short shaft L4 are two levers, LG'Ll, the former loose upon and the latter fixed to said shaft. On .the shaft D', outside the ratchet-wheels K K2, are jour` naled loosely two plates, L9 L2, with their upper ends projecting beyond thev ratchetwheels and corresponding `in shape to two projecting plates, L11 L22, attached to or formed the two sets of 'plates being firmly` bolted together by bolts r. Between cach pair of these `plates L2L22, above each of the ratchet-wheels, N2 N3 N?, adapted .-slons, niost convenient to use,

to engage with the teeth of the ratchet-wheels. The rear ends of the pawls are held upward, and their forward ends held downward, in contact with the ratchet-teeth, by springs g', supported in blocks g2 on the plates- L11 L12. Each of these pawls is formed double, or with an outer pawl, N or N2, and an inner pawl, N3 or N2, the inner pawls being shorter than the outer pawls, but each pair pivoted to onecommon cross-rod, N5 or N, connecting the plates L11 L and L22 L2, respectively. In Figs. 16 and 17 is shown a set of these pawls enlarged.

M' is a semicircular metal frame attached to the Stringer' B of the carriage, the center of the radius of the segment being the center .Y

of the shaft L4. Attached to this segment is a small bracket, c', inl which is pivoted a short shaft, e2, the inner end of the shaft e2 projecting through and journaled into the segment M'. This shaft e2 will be formed, as shown in Figs. 9, 10, and 1l, with a projection, e2, on one side of that part of the shaft which is between the bracket e' and the segment M', posite this projection e3 cut away for one-half the thickness of the shaft. The shaft e2 will usually be formed one and one-half (l) inch in diameter, and the cutaway portion will be and with the side of the shaft opono-half an inch deep, and the projection e2 one-half an inch thick, so that the projecltion and the part between the projection and vthe bottom'of the cut-away section will be just one and one half (1%) inch thick, or, in other words, this shaft will be formed with a central section one and one-half (it) inch square and eccentric to the main part of the shaft, being one-half inch off the center.

I do not-wish to be confined to these dimenwill be found the but generally-t-hey these proportions being used on the principle that one-half inch of movement of the lever L7 on the segment M' will cause the knees to be moved outward one-sixteenth of oneinch. On

the outer end of this shaft e2,outside the bracket e', is a short lever-arm, e4, having a small lug or point, e5, projecting inward toward the bracket e', and adapted to fit into notches e el es in the outer face of the bracket. This arm e4 will be set at right angles to the lug or projection e3 on the shaft e2, sothat when set in the position shown in the drawings its projection e5 will rest in the center notch, el, and

hold the flat surface e9 against the lever Ll...

Then, if the small arm c4 be turned upward until its projection e5 rests in the notch c2, the cut-away section 'will be turned toward the lever L7 and allow the latter to drop down one-half (t) inch. downward Auntil its projection e5 catches in the notch e6, the projection c3 on the shaft e2 will be turned toward the lever L" and hold it upward away from the shaft one-half inch.

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Then,if the arm e2 beturned The inner pawls, N3 and N2, are shorter than their respective outer pawls,N' N2, as shown in Fig. 17 ,and rest only half-way down the incline of the teeth, so that the pawls need only be moved one-half the length of one ofthe ratchetteeth to cause them to engage therewith; hence only one-half the number of the ratchet-teeth are required that would be required were the pawls formed singly.

The lever L6 has a spring-catch, L2, and the segment M has a series of notches, w, in its face, into which the spring-catch is adapted to engage. The notches w will be placed in the segment to correspond to the thickness of the lumber to be sawed, each notch representing a dimension of lumber. These notches may be varied to any extent to cut any size of lumber; but for the purpose of illustration I have shown in the drawings, in Figs. l and 2, a set of notches adapted to cause the lever L7 to move the knees outward the distance of one-half inch, three fourths (if) of anineh, one (l) inch, one and one-fourth (1l) inch, one and one-half (15') inch, one and threefourths, (145,) and three (3) inches.

It will be seen that the moving of the lever L7 from side to side will, through the pinion L and geared segments L L2, cause the latter to be oscillated alternately around the setshaft 7 D and ratchet-disks, and by means of the pawls N N2 N3 N this oscillation will communicate motion to the set shaft, the shaft being moved forward by the action of one set of pawls when the lever L7 is moved in one direction, and moved forward by the action of the other set of pawls when the lever is moved in the opposite direction. Thus the lever I] is double-acting or` operative during both its forward and backward with strokes. Thus if the stop-lever L6 be set with its spring-catch LB in the notch w nearest to the home stop-shaft e2, and the lever L7 moved over until it strikes the stop-lever L, and then back again until it strikes the stop e2, the knees will be moved outward one-half() an inch, and thus set the log or timber being sawed so that a board one-half (t) an inch thick will be sawed off from it. Then, if the stop-lever be set to any of the other notches w, the lumber will be cut to a thickness corresponding therewith, as hereinbefore shown.

P is a horizontal shaft journaled in standards P2 P2 on the carriage, and provided with arms P" P5, one of which projects inward and rests upon the rear end ofthe double pawl N N, while the other one, P5, projects inward in a similar manner and rests upon the rear ends of the double pawl N2 N". The opposite end of the shaft P from the arms P P5 ends just in front of the lever H H2, as shown, and is provided on that end with a small cam or arm, P, upon which a projection, d4, on the upper section, H2, of the lever H H2, rests when the latter is upright, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

As before stated, the compound lever is formed in two sections, H H2, the upper section, H2, being pivoted into the lower section at right angles to the axis of the lower section. By this means the upper section, H2, may be bent over at right angles to the axis of the lower section, H, without affecting the lower section, while at the same time, by the manner of its connection between the two parts of the lower section, H, it is a fixture in the lower section when moved in a line parallel with the movement of the lower section, so that the two sections will be moved together when the brake is to be set or the receder to be thrown into gear.

The bending 'of the upper section, H2, of the compound lever will cause the lug d* to compress the arm P, oscillate the shaft P, and thus cause the arms Pl P5 to force down the rear ends of the pawls N N2 N3 N4 and disconnect them from the teeth of the ratchetwheels K K2. By this simple means the pawls may be disconnected from the ratchetwheels by the same lever that sets the brake and operates the friction-receding mechanism, and without affecting either the receder or the brake.

PT is a standard att-ached to the Stringer B of the carriage, and having a forked projecting upper part or stop, P2, partially einbracing the rear of the upper section, H2, of the compound lever. The upper section, H2, of the compound lever,when in an upright position, as shown in the drawings, Will rest with its rear sides within the recess in the center of this forked stop P8 of the standard P2, as shown, and then when the lever H H2 is pushed inward to set the brake or pulled outward to set the receder the stop Ps will force the operator to move the section H2 sidewise toward the arms P* P5, and thus release the pawls N N2 N3 N 4. By this arrangement the pawls may be re` leased by bending the upper section, H2, of the compound lever to -one side, (as the presence of the forked stop Ps does not interfere with this motion ofthe lever;) but in no case can the brake or the receder be set in operation without first lifting the pawls by theaetion of the stop P2. The teeth of the ratchet-wheel K will be set to point in the same direction as the teeth of the wheel K2, and the pawls will be similarly set to correspond therewith. If it is required to cut lumber one-sixteenth of an inch less in thickness than the notches fw are set for, then the lever-arm e is set so that the projection e on the shalt e2 will prevent the extreme throw of the lever L7 or stop it one-half (t) an inch short of its full stroke, so that it will move the knees one-sixteenth of an inch less than with a full stroke. Then, if it is desired to cut lumber one-sixteenth of an inch greater in thickness, the shaft e2 is turned until the lever L7 will drop into its cut-out portion, which will increase the limit of its stroke one-half(l) an inch and cause the knees to be moved one-sixteenth of an inch farther outward.

The canting of logs against the knees when first placing them upon the carriage or in canting partially-sawed logs on the carriage forces the knees backward and exerts a very heavy force against them and endangers the pawls N N2 N i N by forcing the ratchet-disks IOO IIO

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K' K2 backward against them; but with myl attachments, by simply forcing the upper section, H2, of ythe compound lever inward, the lug dt oscillates the shaft P' and lifts the pawls from contact with the/ratchet-disks, and at the samel time sets the brake G' G2 upon the shaft D'. The brake is not intended to act with a great degree of force upon the shaft, but merely to hold it relatively rm, so that when thelogs or the timber is canted against the knees the brake will offer some resistance and prevent the knees from being forced back too readily or thrown too-far backward. Generally the brake will be sufficiently strong to hold the knees against any pressure that may be brought to bear against them, but should any eXtra pressure occur the knees will give and Anot cause any breakage of any of the parts.

After the logs are cut then the lever H' H2 is thrown outward and the friction-wheel F5 thrown into contact with the bearing-wheel C', so that the motion of this wheel when the carriage is being run backward to'receive a lfresh log will be utilized to revolve the set-v shaft D' backward, and thus recede the headblocks during the time the carriage is making its return-trip. At this point will be noticed the importance of thestop P2, as, unless the pawls N' N2 N3 N4 are lifted before the friction-y wheels C' F are thrown into gear, (as the setshaft could not be turned by the receder,) the pawls or ratchets would be broken; but by the use of the trip the pawls will be lifted before the receder is thrown into gear and held up from contact with the rachets so long as the receder is in operation.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is- 1. In a saw-mill, a carriage mounted by bearing-wheels upon rails and adapted to be moved backward and forward past the saw, and carrying the head-blocks D D and setshaft D', said set-shaft being arranged to move said head-blocks by its revolution, ratchettoothed disks K' K2 fast upon said set-shaft, and bevel-gear segments L L2, loose upon said setshaft and provided with pawls adapted to en gage withthe' teeth of said ratchet-disks, and both of said segments adapted to be oscillated by one common pinion, L', whereby said head-blocks maybe set outward toward the saw by both the right and left hand oscillation of said pinion, substantially as set forth.

2. In a saw-mill, a carriage mounted by bearing-wheels upon rails and adapted to be moved backward and forward past the saw,

and carrying` the head-blocks D D and set shaft D', said set-shaft'being arranged to move said head-blocks by its revolution, in combination with ratchet-toothed disks K' K2," fast upon said set-shaft, bevel-gear segments L" L2, loose upon said set-shaft between said ratchet disks, and having plates Ll1 L12, plates L9 L10, loose upon said shaft on the opposite' sides of said ratchet-disks from said segments,

`pawls-N' N2 N3 N, pivoted between said plates L11 L22 and L2 L1", respectively, bevel-pinions L3 upon shaft L4, and adapted to engage with both of 4said segments, segmental guide M', 7o

lever L2, fast upon said shaft L, outside of said segmentalguide, and stop-lever L, loose upon said shaft L', and adapted to be attached to said segmental guide, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3.A` In a saw-mill,- 'a carriage mounted by bearing-wheels upon rails and adapted to be moved backward and forwardV past the saw,

and carrying the head-blocks D D and set-shaft D', said set-shaft being arranged to move said head-blocks by its revolution, ratchet-toothed disks K' K2, fast upon said set-shaft, bevel-gear segments L L2, loose upon said set-shaft and provided with pawls adapted to engage with the teeth of said ratchetdisks, pinion L3, mounted upon shaft L2, and adapted to oscillate both of said segments by its revolution,V

segmental guide M', lever L', fast upon said shaft L", and adjustable stop-shaft e2, attached to said segmental guide and provided with projecting portion es'and correspondinglysunken portion, wherebythe said lever may be adjusted to set said head-blocks, substantially as set forth.

r4. In a saw-mill, aA carriage mounted by bearing-wheels upon rails and adapted to be moved backward and forward past the saw,"

and carrying the head-blocks D D and setshaft D', said set-shaft being arranged to move said head-blocks by its revolution, ratchettoothed disks K' K2, fast upon said set-shaft,

shaft, and provided with pawls adapted to engage with the teeth of said ratchet-disks, and both of said segments adapted to be oscillated by one common pinion, L3, shaft P', carrying trips P"L P5 on one end, adapted to rest by their outer ends upon the rear ends of said pawls,

and havinglever-armPGonitsopposite end",and pivoted lever H' H2,having foot 12,adapted to move said lever PG and oscillate said shaft P',

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bevel-gear segments L' L2, loose upon saidv whereby said pawls may all be released from said-ratchet-disks at the same time, substantially as set forth. 1

5. In a saw-mill, a carriage mounted by bearing-wheels upon rails and adapted to be moved backward and forward past the saw, and carrying theAhead-blocks D D and setshaft D', said set-shaft being arranged to move said head-blocks by its revolution, ratchettoothed disks K' K2, fast upon said set-shaft, bevel-gear segments L' L2, loose upon said setshaft, and provided with pawls adapted to engage with the teeth of said ratchet-disks, and both-of said segments adapted to be oscillated by one common pinion, L2,brakewheel G,fast to said set-shaft and provided with brakef strap G2, adapted to be -operated by pivoted compound lever H' H2, shaft P', carrying trips P" P5 on one end,adapted to rest upon the rear ends of said pawls,\and having a lever-arm, PG, on its opposite end, and foot d" on said lever H' H2', adapted to move said lever-arm and oscillate saidshaft P', whereby said pawls may all be released and the brake applied to the setshaft at the same time.

6. In a saw-mill, a carriage mounted by bearing-wheels upon rails and adapted to be moved backward and forward past the saw, and carrying` the head-blocks D D and setshaft D', said set-shaft being arranged to move said head-blocks by its revolution, bevel-gear Ffast upon said shaft, bevel-gear F3, mounted upon short shaft F and adapted to engage with said bevel-gear F, friction-wheel F5 upon said shaft F and adapted to engage one of said bearing-wheels C', pivoted lever F"',sup porting said shaft, and pivoted compound lever H Hhaving foot di, adapted to rest across said lever F, whereby the oscillating of said compound lever will depress said friction-wheel supportingdever, substantially as set forth.

7. In a saw-mill, a carriage mounted by bearing-wheels upon rails and adapted to be moved backward and forward past the saw, and carrying the head-blocks D D and setshaft D', said set-shaft being arranged to move said head-blocks by its revolution, bevel-gear having lever-arm Puon its opposite end, andioot L d* upon said compound lever H H2, adapted to rest upon said lever-arm, whereby all of said pawls may be released from their ratchets and the receding mechanism set in operation at the same time, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribin` witnesses.

CHAS. ESPLIN.

Witnesses:

.Iosnrrr GARBETT, C. M. LINDMAN. 

